Hospitals limit visitors due to flu outbreak

URBANA — Two local hospitals have started restricting visitors for all patients, because of the severe flu outbreak.

The restriction went into effect Thursday afternoon at Provena Covenant Medical Center and Provena United Samaritans Medical Center, with patients limited to two visitors at a time.

People under age 18, including patients' children and siblings, won't be permitted to visit while the restriction is in place, the hospital said.

Anyone with symptoms of an upper-respiratory infection should stay away from the hospital for everyone's safety, hospital officials said.

Carle Foundation Hospital has begun limiting visitors only in its neonatal intensive care unit, and its labor and delivery and post-partum units.

"Obviously with the babies, they're the most high-risk," said Carle spokeswoman Kelli Anderson said.

Labor and delivery and post-partum patients are limited to five adult support people and sibling visitors at a time, and visitors to infants in NICU are limited to parents and grandparents only.

"We're continuing to keep an eye on flu activity, but at this time, that's all we've instituted," Anderson said.

The Provena hospitals said their recommendations for visitor limits are based on recommendations from the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to limit the potential for influenza to spread.

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Well, in case the community is not aware due to the merger between Provena and Resurrection: As of 01/01/2013 they are now the largest catholic hospital system in IL and there name is PRESENCE Covenant Medical Center, PRESENCE United Samaritan, PRESENCE Health, etc, etc, for all 12 hospitals included.